


Three's A Charm

by lovelylittlelion



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anxiety, Daniel Ricciardo is a Sweetheart, Daniel kinda gets a tattoo as a promise ring, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, M/M, Max has anxiety, Max's Birthday, POV Max, Tattoos, Whipped, but what's new, i kinda used this fic as an excuse to hold a speech about daniel, ish, they live together, they're both whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25633120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelylittlelion/pseuds/lovelylittlelion
Summary: Daniel's home late. He's never gone without telling Max where he went, but maybe it wasn't that important anyways. It was.//or Daniel gets a tattoo for Max's birthday, to promise him that he'll always be by his side.
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51





	Three's A Charm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justmyrthe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justmyrthe/gifts).



> sooo.. happy birthday angel! i love you a whole lot and i really hope you'll enjoy reading this uwu,, you put the stars in the sky baby <3
> 
> also a whole lot of love to my beta @FestusGirl, you're the best and i couldn't have done this without you 🥺
> 
> for now, enjoy reading!

Max knows he’s biting his lip. He can taste the blood in his mouth. He needs something to get his attention off of Daniel. He’s probably fine. He has to be. Max knows Daniel wouldn’t ever leave him, he has told him that so many times already and Max is finally able to believe him instead of his anxiety.

His eyes dart to the clock on the wall. He’s in their shared apartment. Max still can’t fully believe it’s been almost three years since they started living together. It feels like a day and a century at the same time. He unconsciously smiles. Daniel makes him so happy. There isn’t a day Max isn’t grateful to have him in his life.

Daniel is so steady. He’s always there. He’s the constant Max so desperately needed. While everything changes, Daniel doesn’t. Daniel’s gentle. He knows what to say, what to do to make Max snap out of the bad memories. He is so so kind, not just to Max but Daniel is nice to everyone. He makes Max smile. He is so pretty. Max still remembers the one time he cried to Lando about how stunning Daniel had looked on the first date they went on. A smile tugs at his lips.

And now he’s late. Max knows it’s stupid, but he doesn’t know where Daniel went (a store.. maybe?). It’s silly. This shouldn’t affect him this much. He clenches his fist. He’s dizzy.

Just when he can feel a tear slowly running down his cheek, the door opens. Daniel is back home. He’s safe. He is here again. Max can’t bring himself to look up. He can hear Daniel walking up to him. He says nothing. Daniel just wraps his arms around him and pulls him up to him. Max can breathe again.

It’s warm, Daniels embrace. It makes him feel at home and for the first time this evening the smile blooming on his face is truly genuine. He leans into Daniel, smelling his way too expensive parfum and he’s happy again.

‘I missed you,’ he softly murmurs into Daniels shoulder. Daniel somehow still hears him. Max can hear him chuckling.

‘I missed you too, Maxy. Don’t worry too much about me, okay? I’m here.’ When Max looks up to him, he can see a smile on Daniels lips and a soft sparkle in his eyes. Max is so lucky. He shyly nods, a soft blush spreading on his face. Daniel’s smile grows bigger. ‘Then now cuddle with me.’

Max grins. That’s his needy boyfriend. ‘And what if I don’t want to cuddle?’ he teasingly asks. Daniel seems to seriously consider his question before pouting at him.

‘But cuddles!’ he protests, the indignation clear in his voice. Max’s grin just becomes bigger as Daniels pout deepens. He really is so cute. They sit like that for a while, Daniel pouting even more. Max just can’t stop himself anymore.

He opens his arms. Daniel almost jumps on him before he settles on just crushing Max. Max almost regrets his decision when a full grown Daniel Ricciardo sits down on his stomach. He tries to push him off. God, Daniel’s heavy. He ignores the fond look in Daniels eyes while he pushes.

It’s no use. Max settles on playing with his fingers instead. Daniel has such big hands. His own look so tiny compared to his boyfriend’s. They sit like in comfortable silence. Max can feel Daniels free hand ruffling his hair. He turns around to protest but then notices a bandage on Daniels ring finger. He softly caresses it. Daniel winces.

‘Did you get hurt?’ Max does nothing to hide the concern lacing his voice. He turns around, biting his lip. Daniel fidgets under his gaze. He’s blushing, Max notices. He raises his eyebrow. Strange.

Daniel eventually looks him in the eye, his own eyes containing so much love that this time Max is the one to look away. Daniel smiles softly at him before pulling him closer. All Max can focus on is him. He can’t dare to tear his eyes away. Daniel looks so comfortable, at home, and it’s because of him. Max. He is the one that made Daniel smile this much. A strange but comforting pride fills his chest as he lays down his head, falling asleep in Daniels warmth. He's home.

When he turns around he’s laying in their bed, sheets empty. Max rubs his eyes. He frowns. Daniel usually stays in bed with him until late in the morning. He’s about to get up as well and protest when the door to their bedroom opens. Daniel’s head peaks around it. Max opens his mouth to complain.. and then his eyes fall on the dumb hat Daniel is wearing.

He snorts, the corners of his eyes curving into tiny moons. Daniel looks ridiculous. Max can’t deny there’s a fond look in his eyes. This really is typically Dan. He is an idiot. Max’s idiot. His heart skips a beat as he thinks of it. He gets pulled out of his thoughts when Daniel starts singing Happy Birthday with the most idiotic expression on his face.

God, Max loves him. He completely forgot it was his birthday today. He isn’t used to celebrating it. Having people around him who _want_ to celebrate it with him. Max is full on smiling by the time Daniel reaches the bed. He made him breakfast. Max softly places it on the bed before he pulls Daniel close. He wants to let him know how much this means to him. Just how much celebrating his birthday means. He’s lost for words.

‘I love you.’ Max hates how his voice cracks. Daniel seems to understand what he means anyways. He always does. He swings an arm around Max’s shoulders and places a chaste kiss on his cheek.

‘I love you too, Maxy. Happy birthday,’ Daniel softly smiles up at him. Max can’t blame the butterflies in his stomach for going wild. It’s Daniel after all. Daniel, who took him in on his darkest moments. Daniel, who loves him. During the bad days and the good days and all the days in between. Daniel who makes him smile.

He cuddles a bit more into Daniels side. A smile tugs at his lips. Daniel often asks him if he’d do it again. He still looks surprised whenever Max says yes. It’s true. The hard parts and the crying at night are nothing if it means he’ll get to see and love Daniel all over again. It hasn’t always been easy. It still isn’t. There will always be fights and bad days, but Max is glad they both chose to work on getting better instead of continuing on.

‘Do you want to go downstairs? I got you a present.’ Max can hear Daniels smile in his voice. He looks up, surprised. He is just able to see the sparkles in Daniels eyes. Someone poured glitter in them. Max would love to believe it’s him.

He nods. Daniel smiles even brighter at him. Max is so lucky. They walk down the stairs together, holding hands and giggling like teenagers. They somehow manage to make it down alive. Daniel almost drops Max’s plate as he holds the door open for him. Max just snorts at him. Being around Daniel is just so comforting.

They sit down at the table, enjoying the breakfast. There’s a comfortable silence between them. Daniel gets a crumb of bread in his hair at some point and he looks absolutely ridiculous. Max’s stomach still hurts from laughing when Daniel gets quiet all of a sudden. There’s a serious look on his face. Max’s breath stocks in his throat.

He can see Daniel smiling nervously up at him before he speaks up. ‘Uhm.. I hope you’ll like it. I love you, Maxy. Here is my present,’ Max can hear the nerves in his voice.

Daniel slowly drags his hand across the table. They lock eyes. Max can feel a tear prickling in his right eye at the pure love he sees. Daniel takes off the bandage. Max is about to protest when he looks at his finger. His heart skips a beat. There isn’t a single wound on Daniels finger. All that Max is looking at is a 3.

He doesn’t know how long he’s been staring at it. A tiny number on Daniels ring finger. It isn’t until Daniel takes him in his arms with nothing but love and concern colouring his voice as he asks him if he’s okay that he notices he’s crying. Daniel did this for him. He showed Max his promise. And for the first time in years his anxiety isn’t the loudest voice in his head.

Daniel truly loves him for him. He chokes back a sob. There’s a smile blooming on his face and a soft blush colouring his cheeks. Max hugs Daniel a bit tighter. He wants, needs to say something. To thank Daniel, to make sure he knows how much this means to him. He opens his mouth. Nothing comes out.

It doesn’t really matter. Daniel still seems to get him. He pulls him almost impossibly closer and just before their lips meet Max hears a soft ‘I love you’. Max’s smile only deepens. When they finally break apart, both of them gasping for air, Max takes a good look at Daniel. He’s smiling. There’s a soft sparkle in his eyes. He’s blushing and running his hand through his hair and Max almost gets dizzy.

He loves Daniel so so much. He really is his world and so much more then that and Max couldn’t be any more grateful for him. He takes Daniels hand. The 3 is still there. A small grin lays on his lips. As he lifts Daniels hand to kiss it, he locks eyes with him. No words are needed when he kisses him.

Only love.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! <3


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